Super Mario Bros Legacy
by Fidens Libertas
Summary: The downfall of our heroes shall only be the beginning of the Mushroom Kingdom's problems.
1. Prologue

Prologue

His name is Mario. He is a famous plumber of the Mushroom Kingdom. Normally a mere plumber wouldn't ever be as famous as Mario but Mario, along with his younger brother Luigi, had on numerous occasions rescued the fair Princess Peach Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom from the evil King Bowser Koopa of the Koopa Kingdom. It had reached the point where wherever King Bowser would kidnap Princess Peach most of the Mushroom Kingdom would show no sign of panic for they had no doubt that Mario and Luigi, otherwise known as the Mario Brothers, would rescue her. The Mario Brothers are showered with praise from most of the Mushroom Kingdom but not all look upon the Mario Brothers as highly. the story you are about to read shall prove this to you.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The immediate downfall of the superstars

The Mario Brothers walked into the throne room only to be shocked as on the throne was not the Princess who invited them into the castle but rather it was an old Toad dressed in regal attires. Next to the throne was a young Toad drabbed in armor with a sheathed sword hanging from his waist. The old Toad stood up and said.

"You two must be the Mario Brothers I have heard so much about. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Gerald Toadstool, King of the Mushroom Kingdom. This young knight at my side is the captain of the Order of the Fire Flower, Drake Ignifung of the noble Ignifung family."

The Mario Brothers bowed down before the king and asked why was the King meeting them when it was the Princess who had invited them. In response the King said.

"Can you not tell the difference between my daughter's handwriting and my own? No matter." The King's voice began to resound with anger "I have called you here cause to have a pair of plumbers as the greatest heroes of this Nation is an embarrassment to the whole Kingdom."

"You're Highness, calm yourself" said the young Captain.

The King sat on the throne then looked deep into Mario's eyes. The King closed his eyes for a few seconds and upon opening them again he said.

"Mario. I will give you a chance to prove yourself. You will engage in a duel with Captain Ignifung. Should you defeat the Captain I will make your family a nobility of the Mushroom Kingdom and offer you the position of Captain of the soon to be formed Order of the Pipes but should you be defeated you must leave my chambers and never associate yourself with my daughter ever again."

Flames began to envelope the young Captain and as they disappeared so too did the Captain. Once these flames were gone new flames appeared but two and a half meter in front of Mario and as these flames disappeared the Captain appeared where they were. The Captain held out a Fire Flower and with a swift motion of his arm the Fire Flower was in Mario's hand. The Fire Flower quickly disappeared and Mario's clothes changed in coloration from red and blue to red and white.

"I will allow you to make the first move" said the young Captain in an arrogant tone.

Mario held out his hand and in the blink of an eye a series of fireballs the size of his palm flew out towards the Captain only to not only miss their target but they never even reached it. Mario and Luigi were quite shocked to see all the fireballs hanging in mid-air in front of the Captain and with a swift motion of the Captain's hand the fireballs all came together into his palm. In a swift motion faster than the eye could see the Captain had planted his palm firmly onto the floor, an act that was quickly followed by a great amount of fire forming around the Captain and quickly taking on the form of a tsunami. Mario and Luigi trashed about in panic as a great deal of fire that appeared as thought it could burn down the Mushroom Kingdom in a single day came crashing down upon them. When Mario had come to he was surprised to see that he was inside a prison of fire, that his overalls we're blue and red once more, that Luigi was in the distance unconscious and most of all that there was the tip of the Captain's blade mere inches away from his face.

"The power of the Fire Flower is the power to manipulate the element of fire itself to your will" said the Captain as he walked away sheathing his sword and willing the prison of flames around Mario to dissipate "I am a master in the power of the Fire Flower, to defeat me with the same power is to be superior than me in that power. Your abilities are but that of an amateur."

Feeling the cold stare of the King, Mario walks away in a dejected manner while carrying his still unconscious brother.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The mushroom King and the four great sages

"Sounds like quite a predicament for you two if I may say so myself" said Professor E. Gadd as he put down his pizza slice and started tinkering with the small device in front of him "but to think that the King would finally return after being away for ten years, truly a momentous occasion."

Mario who was sitting on the other side of the table from the Professor with his brother sitting next to him asked the Professor for what he knew about the King. In response the Professor said.

"King Gerald Toadstool is one of the greatest monarchs in the history of the Mushroom Kingdom. Since his coronation he has led this Kingdom into an era of great prosperity. Even now he is taking down the golden statue of you two in the center of town and has sworn to use that gold to fund medical research for the Kingdom. Some of the peoples, mainly the younger Toads who don't know the King well, are discouraged to see the statue go but having once worked personally for the King I know that he will regain his approval rating very soon."

Professor E. Gadd takes a few bites from his pizza then after a sip from his cup of coffee goes back to tinkering with his device. Luigi looks out the window and upon seeing a young Toad coming out of the nearby item shop with a Fire Flower is prompted to ask about Drake Ignifung.

"The Ignifung family is one of the four great noble families who are believed to be the descendants of the four great sages who founded the Mushroom Kingdom alongside its first King Mushroom Toadstool. These four sages created items that would impart their abilities to any citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom who would obtain them. The first sage was Sara Ignifung, a manipulator of fire who created the Fire Flowers. The second sage was Darien Ventufung, a manipulator of wind who created the Tanooki Suits. The third sage was Lucian Aquafung, a manipulator of water who created the Frog Suits and the forth sage was Reynard Terrafung, a manipulator of earth who created the Pow Blocks. Because there are other kinds of items out there that can grant powers to citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom it is believed there were other sages who worked with the four great sages but there is no confirmation that such peoples ever existed. It is widely believed that the other items of power scattered throughout the Kingdom were also created by the four great sages."

The old professor takes a sip of his coffee as Mario asked why the king was away.

"It happened ten years ago. The King received a letter requesting assistance from our far away allies the Carrot Republic who were being invaded by the Apple Empire. In response the King took his four generals along with most of the army and left to go help the Carrot Republic. Upon leaving he declared that the Princess would lead the Kingdom till he returned."

The trio finish their pizzas and as they walk out of the restaurant the professor say.

"That was a good meal but now we need to find a way for you two to regain your status as Superstars. I have something at my house I think may help with that."


End file.
